To volunteer more??

[broken_gymnast]

So I applied for the 2015 cycle and I did not get in... (Highest MCAT previous was 26, overall GPA 3.4) Since then I took A&P I and II and biochemistry (got A's on all of them), shadowed a DO, and I am retaking the MCAT this May... My question is, I haven't had any recent volunteer experiences (2012 was my last), do you think I should look for another volunteer position or do you think I have improved my application enough to maybe bypass it?

Thanks!

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[change4med]

So no clinical/non-clinical volunteering since 2012? I personally think it should be something you look into doing and would be really helpful for your app if you're able to do so while studying for the MCAT

 

[italiancowgirl]

You had better kill that new MCAT, and additionally yes I believe they will want new volunteering. It seems pretty late to get in a fair amount of volunteering before the app cycle and they won't pay as much attention to what you promise to do. Be careful, you are giving off warning signs of someone really naive to what is expected from a re-applicant so I would encourage you to spend time reading in this forum and becoming much more familiar with what is expected of a re-applicant to help them get an acceptance and to be successful in med school. There is a wealth of information around. I would hate to see someone throw a bunch of time, energy, and money into applications when they are not lined up to be successful. This isn't the try it out and see how it goes sort of game, you only get a few application cycles before they will start to assume you were rejected for a reason and become very wary. I am not saying this to scare you or belittle you, I just want to make sure you understand what the expectations are so you can be successful! GL!

 

[broken_gymnast]

Thanks for the input! What else besides a better MCAT score and more volunteer work do you guys recommend?? I have gotten another letter of recommendation from my A&P prof and I am planning on applying to a lot more DO schools... Last time I applied I only applied to 6-7 DO and about 10 MD (which I know now was very silly given my stats... )

Some more on my background if you guys care to read...
Majored in anthropology, psychology and minored in bio, I worked in a microbiology lab all throughout my undergrad, did very minimal research for one semester, and shadowed a pathologist in an autopsy.

Thanks!!

 

[italiancowgirl]

In order to get a clearer understanding on how you might fare I would help to know cGPA, sGPA, MCATs (all of them with dates and scores), and a clear (brief) description of your different ECs. With that information people could let you know more about your estimated risky areas etc. This is not a precise thing but it might help.

 

[broken_gymnast]

cGPA: 3.45 sGPA: 3.0 (before factoring in the 3 new classes I took after graduating, I think MD and DO schools add those grades differently?)
MCAT: 6/20/2013 8PS 9VR 8BS
5/17/2014 8PS 8VR 10BS

*Research for a semester with a pathologist on kidney samples to measure the amount of fibrosis present. (~100 hrs)
*Shadowed DO in pathology lab and another in a clinical setting to observe OMM (~25hrs)
*Volunteer work cuddling babies in NICU (100hrs)
*Paid employment in microbiology lab setting up cultures, prepping specimens for sensitivities, answering calls from doctors and nurses, other clerical work (3.5 years)

Thanks again!

 

[italiancowgirl]

To me you look low on volunteering and also depth of volunteering. Cuddling babies is easy, you need work with underserved and more challenging environments. Most students have 3-5 times as much volunteering as you. Also, I don't really see much clinical experience. That is hurting you. Being vaguely around a clinic doing paperwork isn't really what they mean for clinical experience. They want to see hospice, scribing, volunteering in the ER, etc. there are many different opportunities, so find what works for you. I would also say more shadowing could help but doesn't need to be top of your to-do list. They want to see that you clearly understand what you are getting into. That you understand what medicine looks like, what it will demand of you, and who you will be serving. Find ways to explore that.

All advice from here on out is assuming DO school not MD school. The approach academically would be a little different.

Grades just stack (after graduation doesn't matter) but DO has grade replacement (for example take Bio I and get a D, but then later take it again to get an A -> an MD school will calculate both grades in, the DO will pretend the D never happened). Only Graduate school grades are calculated differently.

I think you would do well to beef up your sGPA to be more competitive, and your MCAT also needs to be improved (like I said before). I would recommend using grade replacement for DO to improve your sGPA. Your cGPA looks like it is in the range, but by improving the sGPA means your cGPA will also go up a little, which will be great.

I would strongly encourage you to take a year or more to build your application before applying again since you are not yet a competitive applicant. You should make your next application the last application you have to do. Getting in is not the goal, it is the hurdle to overcome so you can be a great physician. All of these things will help you get in but also will help prepare you to better care for yourself and your patients in the future.

There are others more experienced than me on these topics in relation to DO schools and applications though, so I will tag some people who know more, or have been active lately and given solid advice! Any of you have feedback?
@Goro , @CyrilFiggis , @QofQuimica , @change4med , @ThoracicGuy

 

[ThoracicGuy]

To me you look low on volunteering and also depth of volunteering. Cuddling babies is easy, you need work with underserved and more challenging environments. Most students have 3-5 times as much volunteering as you. Also, I don't really see much clinical experience. That is hurting you. Being vaguely around a clinic doing paperwork isn't really what they mean for clinical experience. They want to see hospice, scribing, volunteering in the ER, etc. there are many different opportunities, so find what works for you. I would also say more shadowing could help but doesn't need to be top of your to-do list. They want to see that you clearly understand what you are getting into. That you understand what medicine looks like, what it will demand of you, and who you will be serving. Find ways to explore that.

All advice from here on out is assuming DO school not MD school. The approach academically would be a little different.

Grades just stack (after graduation doesn't matter) but DO has grade replacement (for example take Bio I and get a D, but then later take it again to get an A -> an MD school will calculate both grades in, the DO will pretend the D never happened). Only Graduate school grades are calculated differently.

I think you would do well to beef up your sGPA to be more competitive, and your MCAT also needs to be improved (like I said before). I would recommend using grade replacement for DO to improve your sGPA. Your cGPA looks like it is in the range, but by improving the sGPA means your cGPA will also go up a little, which will be great.

I would strongly encourage you to take a year or more to build your application before applying again since you are not yet a competitive applicant. You should make your next application the last application you have to do. Getting in is not the goal, it is the hurdle to overcome so you can be a great physician. All of these things will help you get in but also will help prepare you to better care for yourself and your patients in the future.

There are others more experienced than me on these topics in relation to DO schools and applications though, so I will tag some people who know more, or have been active lately and given solid advice! Any of you have feedback?
@Goro , @CyrilFiggis , @QofQuimica , @change4med , @ThoracicGuy

I agree here for the most part. The sGPA needs work. If the OP has not utilized that, then that would help the sGPA significantly, but that will also delay the application to be able to apply with your best application possible. The MCAT will need to be retaken, but doing a period of grade replacement, I would hold off on taking the MCAT until those classes are done via retake or close to being done. A 26 is on the lower side for DO and couple that with the low GPA and that's a big reason for not getting in.

As for volunteering, the OP needs more recent stuff. Relying on things in 2012 makes it look like they were just checking a box and since it was finished, no point in continuing. Volunteering in places like hospice or with disadvantaged groups in their community can help fill this role.

The OP is now a reapplicant to 6-7 DO schools. Don't become a reapplicant at a bunch more until the application is as good as possible. As @Goro says, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and there is alot of work to be done to get to the finish line here.

 

[QofQuimica]

OP, I would argue that the issue here is that you are asking the wrong question. You're focusing on the mechanics (number of volunteer positions, number of hours spent volunteering) and not on the meaning (showing dedication to a career in medicine, demonstrating a streak of altruism). I read your posts and think, this dude or dudette doesn't GET IT. S/he has no inkling of what makes a career in medicine at all worth doing. Couple that with your acceptable but not stellar stats, and yeah, it's not a combo that bodes well for an acceptance. But the stats are way less of an issue than the lack of introspection.

I agree with cowgirl that you are not ready for another app cycle yet. I suggest that you take a step back and sit this year out. What to do instead? Get a job, any job, that involves working with people. Pick something where you will be performing customer service and seeing what it's like to deal with other people's problems and complaints. It doesn't even have to be medical. I was taking care of a young Starbucks barista recently who had plenty of insight into what makes humans tick. And yes, you should start volunteering again too. In general, as a rule of thumb for the rest of your life, if you ever have to ask a question like whether you "need more volunteering," the answer is yes.

 

[DrMidlife]

I agree there's a disconnect here.

If I had to interview you I'd be asking "ok you don't have much exposure to clinical medicine - so tell me your thoughts on why med schools think it's important for potential med students to have clinical experiences?"

And then after your answer...you know I'd be asking "and why didn't you invest time in that?"

Best of luck to you.

 

[broken_gymnast]

Thank you guys for your inputs. I think I was trying to focus just on fixing the numbers aspect of the application and I lost sight about the real meaning of becoming a physician... But no excuses, I am currently looking into volunteering at a local clinic for people without insurance and at a hospice. As for a job, I will be returning to being an IT intern after I take my MCAT in May. (I had already scheduled it before consulting you guys XP)

Thank you guys again so much, this is what I needed to hear.

 

[italiancowgirl]

Better to cancel or reschedule an MCAT then take it when you are not ready. The money lost in the short term does not compare to the danger of a poor score. Otherwise GL

 

[broken_gymnast]

Just wanted to give you guys an update, I ended up taking the MCAT as scheduled, getting a 509 and applying last year. I just got my acceptance letter at CCOM! Thank you guys for your inputs!